Bologna vs Inter Prediction: Team News and Lineups Preview

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Bologna vs Inter Tip 1: Italy’s most in-form teams meet

Italy, Serie A, Saturday, March 9th, 17:00 (UK)

We’ve run out of superlatives to describe Inter’s achievements in Serie A.

Last Monday’s 2-1 victory against Genoa was the Neroazzurri ninth success in a row in the league and the 12th in all competitions since the beginning of the year.

Only a month ago Simone Inzaghi’s men were one point ahead of Juventus but after five games they’re now 15 points away and, realistically, they only need a couple more wins to secure the Scudetto.

Inter have done so well that they have achieved the same number of points (72) they had at the end of last season but with 11 games to spare, and also surpassed Napoli’s tally (71 points) of last campaign after 27 matches.

If they keep this pace, the visitors could win the title in the derby, scheduled for the 21st of April, with five games to go, and even beat Antonio Conte’s Juventus record points (102 in 2013/2014) in Serie A.

At the same time, Inter could allow themselves to shift the focus on the Champions League, and the upcoming match against Atletico Madrid at the Wanda Metropolitano might, rightly, force Inzaghi to make some turnovers against Bologna.

• Bologna vs Inter Tip 1: Bologna Asian Handicap +0.5 (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.81
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Bologna vs Inter Tip 2: Motta’s men on the brink of achieving a miracle

Alongside the league leaders, the Rossoblú have been the best team in Italy this season and are close to qualifying for the Champions League for the first time ever.

Bologna have won six consecutive matches in Italy’s top flight for the first time since 1967 and remained unbeaten this season in two games played at San Siro (2-2 in the league and 2-1, after extra-time, in Coppa Italia) against Inter.

Thiago Motta’s men have impressed for their attacking style of play, the courage they show against every opponent and their resilience. In fact their last two away wins, against Lazio and Atalanta, have all come from behind.

In the last seven games, they’ve only collected two points less than Inter (19 against 21) and scored at least twice in every match (18 in total: third-best attack behind Inter and Roma, both with 20).

Twenty-three-year-old Joshua Zirkzee has now hit double figure for the first time in Serie A as the hosts have also started finding goals from different sources, like Fabbian (a former Inter’s academy player, with already four goals this season), Orsolini (who’s two goals away to equal last season’s record of 11 signatures) and Odgaard.

• Bologna vs Inter Tip 2: Both Teams To Score (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.90
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 8/10

Bologna vs Inter Tip 3: an amazing home form

This season at home Bologna have been almost as good as Inter, as they only lost once (against AC Milan in the opening weekend), and conceded only seven times (same as the visitors).

On Monday Inter had to dig deep in the second half to keep Genoa at bay and despite having a good number of chances to score, a draw would have been a fair result, considering Inter were awarded a very dubious penalty before the stroke of half-time.

In fact Genoa and Bologna are the two sides that most have tested the Neroazzurri in Serie A this season, but equally going toe-to-toe against Lautaro & co carries its own risks.

Inter have taken the lead in 26 out of 27 Serie A matches, and thanks to the return of Marcus Thuram from the start, they could hurt Bologna on the break.

On the other hand the hosts, who since mid-October 2022, when Thiago Motta took charge of the team, have only lost six games against Italy’s top sides, will play with no fear as per usual.

Seven out of 13 Inter’s away matches in Serie A this season have produced more than two goals, and Bologna have scored ten times in the seven matches they played so far against top-six clubs.

• Bologna vs Inter Tip 3: Over 2.25 Goals (TRACKED BET)
• Best Odds: 1.86
• Bookmaker: bet365
• Stake: 10/10

Bologna vs Inter Prediction odds via bet365 as at 11:40, March 5th, 2024. Odds may now differ.

Bologna vs Inter Team News and Possible Lineups: Arnautovic returns to the Dall’Ara

Everyone is available for Motta as Ndoye, Ferguson and Orsolini should play behind Zirkzee, but Saelemaekers is also in contention. In defence, Kristiansen will start on the left.

For Inter, former Bologna striker Marko Arnautovic will play up top with Lautaro Martinez, Bastoni returns from suspension, Thuram is fully fit but will start on the bench as the Neroazzurri will play in the Champions League next Wednesday. Calhanoglu might still not be available, due to a muscular injury, so Asllani (who scored his first league goal of the season on Monday) will continue to be the playmaker. Cuadrado and Sensi are both injured.

Bologna possible starting lineup: Skorupski; Posch, Beukema, Calafiori, Kristiansen; Freuler, Fabbian; Orsolini, Ferguson, Ndoye; Zirkzee

Inter possible starting lineup: Sommer; Bisseck, Acerbi, Bastoni; Dumfries, Barella, Asllani, Mkitharyan, Dimarco; Arnautovic, Lautaro Martinez

The Predicted Bologna vs Inter Serie A Standings by BETSiE

Our in-house predictive model, BETSiE, has had a go at predicting the Serie A standings ahead of the Bologna vs Inter, currently 4th vs 1st, fixture by utilising the underlying data from the 2023/24 season up until this point.

For more league-specific BETSiE content including standings, probabilities and predictions, visit her page here – it’s worth it.

Bologna vs Inter Standings Prediction

Match Stats: Inter are masters from the spot

• Bologna are unbeaten in the last three games against Inter and have won the last two home matches (1-0 and 2-1).
• Five of the last six games between these two sides have ended with both teams on the scoresheet.
• Bologna have a winning streak of five matches in Serie A.
• Inter have won nine consecutive Serie A matches (their record is 11, from January to April 2021, with Antonio Conte).
• Inter are the team that has taken, and scored, more penalties (16) in Europe’s top five leagues.

Bologna Fixtures: an easy month ahead (on paper…)

• Vs Empoli (A)
• Vs Salernitana (H)
• Vs Frosinone (A)
• Vs Monza (H)
• Vs Roma (A)

Inter Fixtures: Atleti the biggest task

• Vs Atletico Madrid, Champions League (A)
• Vs Napoli (H)
• Vs Empoli (H)
• Vs Udinese (A)
• Vs Cagliari (H)

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